Mawnan CofE VA Primary School

Inspection of Mawnan CofE VA Primary School Shute Hill, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5HQ

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school radiates joy. Pupils skip into school every day, eager to learn. Staff expect the very best from pupils in whatever they do. Pupils give this unequivocally. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils learn the curriculum exceptionally well. As a result, they are very well prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. The school develops pupils’ character to a very high standard. It instils a sense of pride and responsibility in pupils. This means they are self- motivated to learn. In lessons, they share and listen to each other’s ideas respectfully. At social times, pupils play harmoniously together. In the early years, staff establish routines quickly. This helps children to flourish into confident and independent learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school tirelessly celebrates differences, such as cultural or religious beliefs. This means that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils experience a wealth of opportunities beyond the academic. They pursue their talents and interests through clubs, such as sailing, skateboarding and art.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers emphatically praise the school in all aspects of its work. One comment, typical of many, stated, ‘Staff, pupils and parents collaborate to create an environment where our children can thrive both academically and socially.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is recovering from a period of sadness and grief. At its helm, the headteacher has provided inspirational leadership. She has selflessly and courageously united the school community. Staff and parents speak movingly about how well she has supported them. Moreover, staff themselves are excellent role models. They demonstrate the same care and compassion to each other as they do with pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Throughout this time, the school has ensured that pupils’ education and well-being have remained its priorities. It has drawn upon its Christian values as a source of healing. The school has thrown a protective blanket around those who need it most. Pupils receive additional, ongoing pastoral support where appropriate. This helps them to be in a positive place in which to learn and to thrive.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s curriculum is highly ambitious and detailed. It has been meticulously designed to account for the mixed-age classes. Consequently, pupils build their knowledge in a logical order. At its heart, the curriculum design stimulates pupils’ interest and curiosity. Pupils enjoy embarking on ‘voyages’ and ‘expeditions’ as they experience new learning. These sparks of enthusiasm can be seen right from the start in early years, where children demonstrate remarkable concentration in the classroom. They embrace the chance to learn to use tools safely in the ‘workshop’. This develops their fine motor skills. 22 and 23 October 2024

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Staff ensure the aims of the curriculum come to life. They receive regular training, which means they have excellent subject knowledge. In lessons, teachers ask probing questions that challenge pupils’ thinking. Teachers expect pupils to understand and use sophisticated technical vocabulary. They use quizzes effectively to check what pupils can remember.

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Pupils produce consistently high-quality work. They write extensively across the curriculum to demonstrate their deep knowledge. Pupils write with much improved sentence structure due to recent changes in the English curriculum. The school ensures there is no ceiling put on pupils’ achievement, regardless of background. Staff make sensitive adaptations for pupils with SEND. This helps them to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Reading is culturally ingrained in the school. No opportunity is missed to promote a love of reading. Pupils speak with excitement at the imminent opening of the ‘reading barn’. They read books for pleasure both in the classroom and on the playground. The school diligently and rigorously implements the early reading curriculum. Pupils learn the phonics code quickly. Staff identify swiftly any small gaps in knowledge. They give extra support to help pupils to keep up. High outcomes in the phonics screening check demonstrate this success.

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The school weaves pupils’ personal development throughout school life. Pupils learn to care for the environment through the school’s ‘Creation Care’ ethos. Pupils are taken out of their comfort zone through a series of residential trips. They enjoy sporting success in a range of tournaments. This helps them to understand the key principles of teamwork.

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Pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in their excellent attendance. The school works closely with its families to limit any absence. It is not afraid to challenge them to ensure pupils attend school regularly.

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Governors know the school very well. There is a significant level of expertise on the board. This enables it to hold the school to account robustly. Governors are rightly proud of how the school has continued to excel during a difficult period.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 22 and 23 October 2024

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rachel Stevenson

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs its own breakfast provision.  This is an Anglican school in the Diocese of Truro. The most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in October 2024. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within five school years of this date.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, groups of staff, groups of pupils, a representative from the local authority and members of the local governing body. An inspector also held a telephone call with a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of work, visited lessons and spoke to pupils about their learning in other curriculum areas.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector spoke to some parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and Ofsted’s survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Horne Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 2024

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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